Dental floss tooth cleaning apparatus



Fcb. 1, 1949. T. E. LUZAR 2,460,591

DENTAL FLOSS TOOTH CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 29, 1946 FIG. I 2| W \J \v INVENTOR THOMAS E. LUZAR A TO EY Patented Feb. 1, 1949 DENTAL FLOSS 'roo'rn CLEANING APPARATUS g ThomasE. Luza r, Chicago, Ill;v Application November 29, 1946, Serial No. 712,785

Thisinvention relatesto apparatus for receiving and holding dental floss while the same is.

beingused for cleaning the teeth.- I

' It-is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a dental floss holder of the above mentioned character which will be simple and economical of construction and will have a minimum number of parts consistent with its proper functiming in the manner intended. a

In accordance with the principles of. the present invention there is provided a holder whichcon sists of two main parts, namely, a receptacle for dental floss and a frame or bow for gripping a portion of the floss and holding it in a position facilitating forcing of the strand of floss into the: interstitial spaces.w In accordance with'the presentinvention the bow makes a sliding fit directly into the container without the use of -interme-.

diate nipples orthe like and constitutes a closure for the container while the containerconstitutes a handle for the bow. The dental flosslis wedged at the joint between they handle and the bow without impairing the security of the-bow. on the handle and also permitting the ready drawing of additional lengths of dental floss from. the holder as the length of floss in the bow is sively used up.

It is a still. further. object of the present invention to provide a simple and convenient means for clamping the end of the dental floss in place in the bow.

The attainment of the aboveand further obprogres- Y aciaims. (01. 132-92) right hand end, which tube may have a perforajects of the present invention will be apparent from the following. speciflcation't'aken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing forming apart thereof.

In the drawing: Y

Figure 1 is a plan view of a dental floss holder embodying the present invention; l I f Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1 andlooking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is a section taken along the line 3-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a section taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a section taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is an enlarged top view of the left hand end of Figure 2; and

Figure 7 is a view of the left hand dental floss holder. n

The dental floss holder is indicated in general by the reference numeral l and comprises a tube 2 open at the left hand end and closed at the end of the tion 3 therein to facilitate hanging up of the tube. Theinterior surface of the open end of the tube is smooth and circular in cross section. A bow 5 is releasably secured in the tube. The bow has a cylindrical shank 8 that makes a snug sliding'fit inside the tube 2. A circular flange 9 on the bow limitsthe extent of insertion of the shank 8 into the-tube 2.- The bow includes a long arm Ill extending from the flange 9 and terminating in a forward circular flange l2 that has a forward extending screw threaded stud l4 integral therewith.- The entire bow 5 including the flanges 9jl2,'the shank 8 and the stud I 4' all constitute one integral structure, preferably of plastic material. The entire unit may be made from a plastic rod by turning down one end of it to form the V shank8 and turning down the other end to form a stud l4 and removing some of the, material between the flanges 9 and I2. A cap l6 having a suitable threaded bore threads onto the stud M. The threads on the stud and the cooperatingthreads on the cap l6 are preferably of a Wide pitch so that the cap I6 is turned through only a fraction of a complete revolution from thetime is'firstengages the thread until the cap abuts against theflange l2.

The shank 8 has a narrow slot 20 therein which is tapered in depth, being deepest at the end of the shank furthest from the flange 9. This slot is in line with a longitudinalslot 2| in the flange 9,

but terminates short of the flange so that a por-' tion of the length of the shank within-the tube is not slotted.

The flange l2 has a'tapered V slot 25 formed therein in line with the slot 2|. The slot 25 includes a side 26 at a small angle to a radius drawn to the center of the circle seen in Figure 4am a side 21 at a larger end. The head l6 has a slot "formed in the cylindrical portion thereof, that slot having a side 29 at a small angle to a radius as seen in Figure 5, and a side 30 at a larger angle to a radius. The slots 25 and 28 are of the same shape but are tilted in opposite directions, as may be seen in Figures 4 and 5.

In use of the device of the present invention a roll 35 of dental floss is placed in the handle 2, and the end of the strand 36 of the dent-a1 floss is stretched through the slot 20 in the shank 8 and through the slot 2i in the flange 9. The bow 5 is then moved into a position such that the shank thereof enters the tube 2. The strand 36 of dental floss, which is shown in exaggerated thickness for illustrative purposes, is thus tightly wedged between a short portion of the length of I6 is then tightened on, the stud 4; Insan @313 is turned the end of the strand past theb'ow and the cap is held so that turning of the can causes the walls of the slot 25 to pull the strand 36 tightly across the bow. The cord- ,35 thus drawn taut and is tightly clamped between the facing surfaces of the flange l2 and the cap, L6,

The strand 36 is thus held taut across the how 5. Then the instrument may be used fprieleane ing the interstitial spaces between the teeth. When the portion of the strand within the bow has been used and is to "be replaced, it is merely necessary .to loosen the cap 56', without removing it from the stud i4, and then to pull the how 5 outwardly of the handle 2. An additional length of dental floss may. then be pulled through theslot 28 and then the'bow may then he again pushed "back into position in the handle, thus again wedging the strand between the shank 8' and the handle 2, and then the end of the strand ain taut voter the flange :12 and the cap [5, :andrthe cap then tightened as previously tated. V l

in compliance with the requirements of the patent :statutes I have :here shown and described a zmiefrerred embodiment of my invention. --It' is,-:1F1.,0WGVe1'-, to :be understood that the invention is not glimited to the-precise construction here shown, the :same being merel illustrative of the principles of "the invention. YJhat FI consider" new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1, dental strand holding and itensioning device comprising a tubular handle closed at one nd and ,onen at the other ,end and constituting a rec ptacle for .a roll .of dental floss, the open 331 59f the "tube :having a smooth interior sun'- face, a how-shaped frame having ashank making a fillu Sliding fit in the end of the handle, a I

portion of the length of the shank that extends-v into ltih6tl1b having a slot in the surface thereof for receiving a portion of the length .of a dental strandxthe Slot terminating within :the portion of" he shank that is inside :the tube and -.at a p l. .9n ther o b ng of ;a dept ess than the hi kness of a d ntal strand held in the device so that the strand may be wedged and lockfid between the shank and the inner surface {of the endi'pfthetube.

A dental st and ho di nd :tension n id s.-

s sem ri ia a ub l ha dle cl sed on end and open at the other end and constituting rset ta l a W1 f den fl h 99am end of the tube having a smooth interior surface, a bow-shaped frame having a shank making a snug sliding fit in the end of'the handle, a portion of the length of the shank that extends into the tube having a slot in the surface thereof for receiving a. portion of the length of a dental strand, the slot terminating within the ortion of the shank that is inside the tube so that the strand wedgedand; l cicked between the shank and'the inner surface of the end of the tube, the bow having a flange adjacent the shank and an outer flange at the opposite end thereof, aligned strandfslots m the periphery of the ges, and means associated with the last mentipned flange for releasably locking the end of a strand'o'f dental floss that is drawn across the' how- I 3. A dental strand holding and tensioning device comprising a tubular handle closed at one end and open at the other end and constituting a receptacle for a roll of dental floss, the-open end of the tube having a smooth in terior surface, a hown-shaped frame having a shank making a snug sliding fit the end of the handle, a portion of the length of the shank that extends into the tube having a slot in the surface thereof for receiving a portion of the length -of .':.a'- .denta'1 strand, the slot terminating within the portion of the shank that is inside the tube so that the strand may be wedged and locked between the shank'and the inner surface of the .end .of the tube, the bow having a flange adjacent'the shankand an'outer' flange at the opposite end thereof, aligned strandslots in the periphery of :the flanges, and means associated with {the last mentioned fla'nge for releasably locking the end of a strand ofdentai floss that iswdrawn-across the-bow, said last means com prising a head havingscrew threaded engage- .iiment =with the outer flange and having a strand receiving slot on the outer surface thereof with at least a portion-of the cap slot located at the same radial distance from the center of threaded turningof the head as is the slot in the outer flange and movable into and out of alignment with' the last mentioned slot as the head isturzied on the bow. 1

- THOMAS LUzAn.

nnmmnnons omen UNITED swims 'PATENrs Number 1,161,043 than? 1,952,358 2 152 2 9 r 

